The Secret of Ancient Egyptian Eyeliner

Cleopatra (or, at least, Elizabeth Taylor's version) may be the patron saint of eyeliner. And now, it seems her look had even more going for it than previously thought. *The New York Times *reported on a study published this month in Analytical Chemistry: researchers analyzed ancient Egyptian makeup samples preserved at the Louvre. They discovered that the lead-based eyeliner actually boosted the immune system and killed bacteria from airborne particles that could lead to serious eye infections and permanent damage. Despite the findings, scientists caution this is not a justification to add such toxic lead levels to modern-day makeup. While the eyeliner may have inadvertently helped the Egyptians, modern science and technology provide other ways to protect eyes.